


Say Something

by Blackghost7



Category: NCIS
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2015-12-28
Packaged: 2018-05-09 23:37:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5560234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackghost7/pseuds/Blackghost7
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony pleads with Jethro.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Say Something

**Author's Note:**

> Listening to A Great Big World's 'Say Something', this just crept up on me. *swallows* I actually wrote a songfic - kind of…

Tony unconsciously scratched at the bandage covering his chest, not noticing that each pass of his fingernails over the white cotton was causing red stripes to seep through more and more in their wake, and eventually turn brown when the blood dried on the exposed cloth. The doctors eyed him warily, the nurses sympathetically, but Tony only had eyes for the one in the bed.

"Say something."

Even in his hazy mind, Tony knew the chance of that was dim. Not a very eloquent man at the best of times, when he was unconscious, Gibbs spoke even less than usual since his face was silent now too. Tony smiled to himself. It was all he had right now.

"Say something."

Abby, McGee and Bishop stared through the window into the ICU room, prevented by the doctors and nurses from going in, and even in his new and improved badass federal agent mode, McGee couldn't intimidate the hospital personnel into letting them into Gibbs' room the way Tony had. They couldn't hear what was being said, but Abby could read lips and translated for the other two. 

"He's just saying 'Say something'. Over and over again."

Minutes turned into hours, Ducky and Palmer arrived, left to get them all some caffeine, and returned to be rebuked again by the doctors from entering the room. Even Ducky's usual ploy of claiming to be Gibbs' personal physician didn't sway the medical personnel this time.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you."

Outside the room, the others observed the difference.

"What did Anthony say, Abigail?"

She repeated the phrase read from Tony's lips, then stared at McGee and Bishop.

"What happened? That doesn't make sense?"

Everyone frowned as McGee replied.

"No, it doesn't. Gibbs wasn't even supposed to be out there. There was no way Tony could have known where he was going or what was going to happen. Tony wasn't even on the scene, none of us were. The paramedics were called and Gibbs was brought here immediately. We none of us knew where Gibbs was."

They were all upset at that. Gibbs had been both more open and more secretive, more sharing and more deprecating, and it was driving all of them crazy not to know what the man was thinking. Not that any of them ever really had, well, except Tony maybe, but it seemed Tony was unsure of that now too.

"I would've followed you anywhere. But you know that. Your loyal Saint Bernard and all. Even after all the…"

Tony didn't finish the sentence, and Abby's voice cracked with sorrow when she translated for the rest of the team. They all watched as Tony grabbed Gibbs' unconscious hand and squeezed it tightly, interlacing his fingers with the older man, completely oblivious to the others watching.

"Say something, Gibbs…"

Silence from the man on the bed hooked up to the many monitors.

*****

Eleven days later, Gibbs was still unconscious even while being off the ventilator, and Tony was looking like a haggard shell of himself. He refused to leave Gibbs' side, refused to let anyone else into his room, and certainly didn't leave himself. His beard was reaching epic proportions and he could've done with a cleaner shirt, this one having just been rinsed out in the sink in the bathroom adjoining Gibbs' hospital room, and still damp. But Tony didn't care. He grasped the man's hand again.

"Say something."

The plea was hoarse and all too familiar to the doctors and nurses, and to the team, who didn't need Abby to read lips for them to be able to recognize that by now unfortunately familiar phrase.

"Say something, Boss. Anything."

Sometimes, Gibbs twitched a little while grasping Tony's fingers, but none of the doctors or nurses believed it, because Gibbs never replicated it for them. Sometimes, Gibbs snuffled a little even in his unconscious state, and Tony was certain it was to let him know that Gibbs was still in there. When one of the doctors brought up the living will and Gibbs' wishes and Tony needing to make a decision, the only thing that stopped Tony from knocking the doctor's lights out and possibly risk being banned from Gibbs' side was the fact that his fingers were interlaced with Gibbs', that he was still here.

"Say something."

Tony pleaded, when he was tired and desolate and hoping.

"Say something."

Tony teased, when he was obnoxious and annoying and hoping.

"Say something."

Tony begged, when he was tired and stressed and hoping.

"Say something. Anything. Or I'm giving up on you."

*****

Sixteen days into it, Gibbs grumbled. 

"What?"

Tony's voice sounded tired and weary.

"Smthng."

"Gibbs?? Did you just…??"

"Something."

Tony stared down at his boss for a moment, breathing deeply before calling a nurse to have her check the vitals and the monitors and whatever the hell she wanted as long as Gibbs would stay awake and talk to him. Tony stared, his face unreadable.

"Say something."

"Tony…"

"Gibbs?"

"Anthony…"

"Jethro…"

Then both men sighed. 

"Anthony… you should…"

Gibbs' voice sounded strained from being unused, sedated, and basically being out of his depth. Tony's voice in turn was certain and steady.

"I should stay here, then take you home and take care of you. And when you're better, I'll tell you I love you."

Seeing Gibbs' startled expression, Tony just smiled.

"Oh, you're not that clueless. Go to sleep, Gibbs. You've earned it now that you're awake."

*****

For days and weeks afterwards, Tony taking care of Gibbs at his house, neither of them mentioned anything about it. Tony didn't think Gibbs remembered, having just woken up, and Gibbs didn't think that Tony would have meant it. But they both still yearned. 

*****

The day before Ducky was supposed to clear Gibbs for duty again, Tony and Gibbs were sitting at the kitchen table in Gibbs' house for a late breakfast. Tony was dressed just in shorts, his hair mussed up from sleep, his eyes still heavy, and his chest aching with longing every time he looked across the table. Gibbs was in briefs and a t-shirt, hair also mussed, coffee as ever present in his hand.

Tony shivered.

"What?"

Gibbs' voice was part annoyed, part curious.

"Nothing… Just… nothing."

"Tony…"

Then Tony looked up at Gibbs, letting him see all the nights Tony had spent at his bedside, on his six… and Tony swallowed in sadness. 

"It's nothing, Gibbs."

Gibbs muttered under his breath.

"Damnit, Tony."

Suddenly, Tony was angry, furious.

"What, Gibbs, what?!? This is nothing different! You… and then I…"

Gibbs quirked his lips, and stared at Tony. The anger fled from Tony's face quickly.

"Boss? Do you…?"

Tony watched his boss and licked his lips.

"Gibbs? 

Gibbs continued to stare at Tony with his usual inscrutable gaze, making Tony suffer even though he knew it wasn't fair.

"Tony…?"

Hearing the soft whisper from his boss' lips, Tony shivered in pleasure. 

"Jethro…"

There was nothing supplicating, begging, or pleading in the soft growl that came from Tony's lips then, and Gibbs smiled. Tony would always live up to his expectations, no matter what they were.

"So beautiful, Tony…"

Gibbs managed to pull his head back a little to stare at his friend and the object of his affections.

"So pretty, so wonderful…"

"Jethro…"

Both swallowed harshly as they stared at each other, then shivered again as they shifted minutely away from each other. 

"Damn… Tony…"

Tony swallowed harshly again.

"Come with me, Jethro?"

"Anywhere. Anywhere you want. I'll follow you."

They held each others' gazes for long moments, acutely aware of the enormity of the statement. It had never been that way between them, but Gibbs knew it felt right. They were embarking on a path Gibbs had no experience with, and he wasn't above admitting that in this, Tony had the upper hand. And Gibbs would follow his lead, swallowing his pride and recognizing that Tony would take care of him. Spending more than two weeks locked in his own mind with only images of Tony flashing in front of his eyes made him realize that his life was about to change, supposed to change. 

Tony led them upstairs, pushing Gibbs down onto his own bed, caressing and kissing Gibbs with the passion Gibbs had imagined in those dark days when he just couldn't seem to wake himself up, getting lost in the images and feelings he'd buried in his subconscious for so long. Tony's clever fingers knew exactly where and how to touch him, knew how to draw him out, knew how to make him forget everything but the handsome man touching him and loving him.

"Say something, Jethro."

Sticky and sated, Gibbs turned in Tony's embrace, caressing his face and letting his eyes show his uncertainty and needs for once.

"I'm still learning, Tony. But please, don't ever give up on me."

Tony's smile was beaming and wide and everything Gibbs ever could have wanted. He smiled in return.

"Say something, Tony."

"I'm never saying goodbye."

"That's all I needed to know."


End file.
